Queensland had a man sent off in the first half but held on for a 2-2 draw against Central Coast in their A-League clash at Lang Park on Saturday evening.

Both teams had little to play for with the Mariners already assured of a finals berth and the Roar no chance, but a crowd of 13,641 still turned up to watch a non-stop encounter.

The Roar took the lead just three minutes in when in-form striker Alex Brosque cracked a brilliantly placed shot into the top right corner of the net from outside the box for his eighth goal of the season.

He almost made it nine just moments later when a screaming first-time drive was tipped onto the post by Central Coast goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.

Vukovic was kept on his toes all night by Brosque and co, while opposite number Scott Higgins also had plenty of work to do in goal for Queensland.

Higgins was relieved to see a Jamie McMaster strike cruise past the outside of his post in the 20th minute but there was nothing he could do in the 33rd minute when Stewart Petrie equalised for the Mariners.

Some quick one-touch play by Central Coast saw the ball accidentally played by Roar defender Remo Buess across the face of his own goal and Petrie made no mistake from close range.

The turning point of the match came two minutes later when Spase Dilevski was given his marching orders for elbowing Wayne O'Sullivan in the stomach.

O'Sullivan went straight to ground clutching his middrift but the incident did not look to be worthy of a send-off.

The Roar however did not let it get to them and instead pressed ahead, grabbing a much-deserved goal on the hour mark.

Michael Baird, on as a substitute for Brazilian signing Reinaldo just before half-time, was fed the ball by Brosque out on the left and slotted it through the legs of Vukovic to make it 2-1.

Nine minutes later the Roar should have extended their lead when Vukovic failed to hold a Massimo Murdocca long range strike and Baird pounced on the loose ball, but this attempt hit the post.

Central Coast grabbed a point when O'Sullivan scored from close range in the 79th minute.

Queensland defender Stuart McLaren shunted away the ball with his hands but the ball was already ruled to have crossed the line.

McLaren received a yellow card for his efforts but was lucky not to have been given red.